They're unlikely friends, but when a 90 lbs. Rottweiler became stranded in the middle of a dark Ohio road, her tiny best friend, a 9 lbs. poodle, refused to leave her side.

Veterinary assistant Jody Wetzig was working Monday night at the Lorain County Animal Emergency Center when she received a phone call from a woman who had spotted two dogs sitting in the middle of the dark, two-lane road. One was a Rottweiler whose leg appeared to be injured. The other was a small, black poodle who was sitting right next to her bigger friend. The woman didn't know what to do.

"Normally, we don't take in strays," Wetzig explains to Paw Nation. "But if they're injured, we'll try to help, so we told the lady to bring the Rottweiler in."

When the woman arrived with the dogs, she had a touching story to tell. "The woman said that the poodle would not leave the Rottweiler's side," Wetzig recounts. The little dog stayed close as the woman and a passerby eased the Rottweiler onto a blanket. When they loaded the dog into the car, the poodle jumped in too.

"Their story just really captured our hearts," says Wetzig. The dogs, both female, weren't wearing collars and hadn't been microchipped. "They looked like they came from the same [home]," says Wetzig. "There was a spot around their necks where it looked like they had been wearing collars." The dogs, while not malnourished, weren't in the best condition. "The poodle's fur was matted and she had skin issues."

The Rottweiler's issues were more grave. X-rays revealed a bone tumor on her right rear leg that's most likely cancerous. "Her entire leg is swollen to three times its normal size," says Wetzig. "We're going to need to amputate it." The surgery will cost between $1,500 and $2,500.

The local ABC News station reported the story, hoping the dogs' owners would come forward. Thus far, no one has, though many people have called to donate money and to offer to adopt the pair. "It's been amazing," says Wetzig. "The phone's just been ringing off the hook."

In the meantime, the Rottweiler, estimated to be about 7 years old, is getting by at the animal hospital, as long as she has her poodle friend by her side. "They were extremely nervous and shaking when they came in Monday night," says Wetzig. "But it's been a few days and they both get up and greet me when I come in now. They're inseparable, like sisters. We hope to adopt them together."

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I really hope they find a home together.

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There are only two rules at my house: House rule #1. Cats rule. House rule #2. See rule #1.

Geez . Since there is so much media on these two - I am almost certain they will be adopted together. This just proves that animals do form bonds to one another AND their owners.....(nice 'owners' in this case).

Great story. Odds are the rotti expecially was sadly probably dumped. It is so heartbreaking.

Sorry little off topic. I remember once, my supervisor was out on the road. Got a call about a cat on the side of the road. The person didn't know if the cat was injured or not. My supervisor later back at the shelter, said that he pulled up, saw the cat and started to walk up too it and realized that it was actually two cats hundled together. He said they didn't try to run, just too scared. He said that knew that they were dumped.

But yes, animals do form bonds with each other. anyone remember the video of the dog that was hit on the highway and you see a stray dog run in the middle of the highway and is seen trying to pull him off the road. Maybe someone can post it here?

Aco22, I have seen the video. I can't watch it now, but it was amazing. Animals totally bond. I remember when I first saw Maks and Kiska. They were clinging to each other, and when the vet tech tried to separate them to put them in a carrier for me to take she could barely break them apart. They weren't more than a few inches apart for several weeks after they came home with me. They would be lost without each other.

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There are only two rules at my house: House rule #1. Cats rule. House rule #2. See rule #1.

Aco22, I have seen the video. I can't watch it now, but it was amazing. Animals totally bond. I remember when I first saw Maks and Kiska. They were clinging to each other, and when the vet tech tried to separate them to put them in a carrier for me to take she could barely break them apart. They weren't more than a few inches apart for several weeks after they came home with me. They would be lost without each other.

When I saw them from across the room, I thought it was just one, they were curled up into this little ball. I hesitated when I saw it was two, but then I would never have forgiven myself had I not taken both of them. They were a great comfort to each other those first few weeks. Even now, when Maks hears Kiska meowing in the middle of the night from downstairs, he jumps off the bed and goes downstairs. After a few minutes, they both come up. He's such a great brother to her.

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There are only two rules at my house: House rule #1. Cats rule. House rule #2. See rule #1.

We had to split the family up for Feb. and Mar. this year. I got Beena (the kid) and Crush (the cat). G-Man got Lady (the dog). Whenever we got together for the weekend, Crush and Lady would check each other out to make sure the other was ok and then they'd curl up together for a snooze. On Mondays (when G-Man and Lady left for the week) I'd come home after work to Crush, who was loudly demanding to know where his dog was.

owners probably dumped them when they found out about the dog's tumour. They are better of without them IMO.
I am sure these two will go to a very good home. That always happens with animals who have been in the news. I love stories like this. Who said animals have no heart?

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Assumptions do nothing but make an ass out of u and me.

We can stick our heads in the sand for only so long before it starts choking us. Face it folks. The pet population is bad ALL OVER THE WORLD!

Macomom, I had to put a cattle dog down due to bone cancer too, imagine the agony that poor Rottie must have been going through with that leg. I hope whoever takes them already has another dog so that the poodle can bond with it and have another friend in case the Rottie dies.